Farmer Fears Over Green Cuts

There are fears changes to green energy subsidies will impact badly on farmers.

The Westminster government is proposing a cut to 'feed-in' tariffs, which are paid by the Government to people with solar panels and wind turbines in exchange for creating green electricity. Around 51,000 Fifers with solar panels benefit from the payments.

Many farmers who've taken advantage of wind energy to cut their bills could lose out - they're already struggling with low prices paid by supermarket for their produce.

Gemma Thomson, NFU Scotland’s Legal and Technical Policy Manager, said: "These proposals will end many on-farm renewable plans, and severely limit the number of new projects that will come forward in the future.
 
"NFU Scotland’s President Allan Bowie has written to DECC to voice the Union’s concerns directly.
 
"The knock-on effect for farm businesses will be that a previously viable way of dividing risk and reducing exposure to price volatility will no longer be an option."